Sci-fi writer baffles abortion foes with simple question: Would you save 1,000 embryos or one child in fire?

Science fiction author Patrick S. Tomlinson this week explained how opponents of abortion rights can be shut down with one simple question about whether 1,000 embryos are more important than the life of a single child.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Tomlinson revealed the scenario that he says has repeatedly stumped so-called pro-life activists.

Tomlinson said that he asks abortion opponents whether it makes more sense to save one child from a burning building or a vial of 1,000 embryos.

“They will never answer honestly, because we all instinctively understand the right answer is “A.” A human child is worth more than a thousand embryos. Or ten thousand. Or a million. Because they are not the same, not morally, not ethically, not biologically,” he wrote. “This question absolutely evicerates their arguments, and their refusal to answer confirms that they know it to be true.”

“No one, anywhere, actually believes an embryo is equivalent to a child. That person does not exist. They are lying to you,” he added.

On Tuesday, Tomlinson said that he woke up to a “thousand” of new followers.

“Holy crap,” he wrote. “I literally wake up and there’s another thousand of you. Welcome new followers. I write books and yell at the alt-right on social media.”

It's a simple scenario with two outcomes. No one ever wants to pick one, because the correct answer destroys their argument. And there IS a correct answer, which is why the pro-life crowd hates the question. 2/

Here it is. You're in a fertility clinic. Why isn't important. The fire alarm goes off. You run for the exit. As you run down this hallway, you hear a child screaming from behind a door. You throw open the door and find a five-year-old child crying for help. 3/

They're in one corner of the room. In the other corner, you spot a frozen container labeled "1000 Viable Human Embryos." The smoke is rising. You start to choke. You know you can grab one or the other, but not both before you succumb to smoke inhalation and die, saving no one. 4/

They will never answer honestly, because we all instinctively understand the right answer is "A." A human child is worth more than a thousand embryos. Or ten thousand. Or a million. Because they are not the same, not morally, not ethically, not biologically. 6/

Don't let them. Use this question to call them out. Reveal them for what they are. Demand they answer your question, and when they don't, slap that big ol' Scarlet P of the Patriarchy on them. The end. 9/9

About the Author

David Edwards has served as an editor at Raw Story since 2006. His work can also be found at Crooks & Liars, and he's also been published at The BRAD BLOG. He came to Raw Story after working as a network manager for the state of North Carolina and as as engineer developing enterprise resource planning software. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidEdwards.